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An announcement was made that the Kazekage has an important speech to deliver. Sunagakure denizens, shinobi and civilian alike, crammed into the Village Center to hear their headman's words. At the appointed time, the Kazekage appears, wearing his official robes. This is almost a surprise, really; there were bets amongst some in the crowd about the manner of the Kazekage's arrival, and 'walking out of the Administration Dome like a normal leader' was not an odds-on favorite. Nevertheless, the audience cheers as Kokoroe Sousa steps up to the podium that was set up for the occasion. He waves his arms to settle the crowd, then folds his hands behind himself and begins to speak.

"People of Sunagakure, we have endured harsh times of late. The actions of the Silence brought terror, strife, and pain, to our village, to our nation, and to our world. We have suffered loss, of comrades, of those near to us, of prosperity, and of the confidence of those we serve. Even now, with the leader of this senseless destructive force slain and its adherents fractured and crippled, there is much work yet to be done, still trials to be overcome."

Sousa leans forward and clasps the podium. "And yet, my primary point is, we have endured. The worst of this crisis is over, and Sunagakure stands unbowed. I look out and see before me a village of survivors, shrewd and capable. I see a diverse and multi-talented coalition of ninja united for mutual preservation and advancement. I see a shinobi village respected the world over not only as a major military power, but as the foremost source of intelligence and espionage expertise. In fact, to a large degree what I see is the manifestation of what I envisioned when I first became the Kazekage."

Pleased applause rises up from the assemblage at the Kazekage's statement. Sousa stands and lets them cheer for a few moments, then reaches up and takes hold of his ceremonial hat, flipping it off and spinning it around by the rim on his finger.

"Which is precisely why I'm quitting now." n.n

Gasps and exclamations bubble from the crowd. Sousa continues casually spinning the hat and speaks over any objections. "I shall continue to serve as a ninja of the village and will be involved in administration as a member of the Sunagakure Jounin Council, but I hereby relinquish my authority as Kazekage to Watanabe Itami-sama, whose recent leadership has been clearly demonstrated in matters large and small. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have an important experiment to supervise." With that, Sousa tosses the hat back toward Itami, then — *POOF* — no more Sousa.